Activity 4 Timber Harvesting
Logging in Australia started when the early Europeans settled Australia. They cleared land to make areas for farming land and cut down trees to use the wood for the development of colonies. Logging still occurs today because there is an increase demand as the population grows. The timber is used for the development of houses and other buildings and other items. Logging has become more environmentally sustainable because now they have plantations were they harvest the wood and then they replant the trees to harvest in later years. Around 12,000 hectares are logged in Victoria each year. Clear-felling logging is the most common method used in logging which involves clearing all the vegetation in the area used for logging and using the lower lying trees for wood chips. Some negative impact that logging has on the environment is - Loss of animal habitat -Burning logged areas with napalm - Salinity issues
Revegetation of logged area
- Soil compactions from machines - Introduction of new weeds to the area due to the machines being used in different areas - Soil disturbance erosion of the soil pollution of streams Some positive impacts that logging has on the environment is that it - Mimics the impact of a natural fire - After an area of clear-felling occurs the area will slowly grow back to form a new forest. - Clear felling is more economic than selective logging
When Timber harvesting first started in Australia the trees were harvested using back breaking human labour without the use of any macinery that is used today like buldozers and chainsaws.
Human labour without modern machines
Modern timber harvesting machines
Activity 5 Introduction of exotic plants and animals Camels The first Camel to be introduced to Australia was a camel called Harry in 1840. The Camels were imported from countries like India. Camels were introduced into australia to be used like a work horse they carried heavy loads across long distances and they were well adapted to the harsh environment of Australia. Camels were used in the famous exploration of the north to south of Australia, which was unexplored territory along with the famous adventurers Burk and Wills. It is estimated that camels explored around 7,000,000 square kilometres of what was an unexplored country. Camels have survived well to Australian because they have found it so easy to adapt well to the climate and landscape.
This map shows were feral camels are found in Australia
Feral camels in Australia
Today Australia has the highest population of wild camels in the world.
In Australia the Camel population don’t carry diseases that other camels in other countries carry. One disease that has been associated with Camels in Australia is Bluetongue. Bluetongue is when the inflammation of the mucous membranes occurs this causes haemorrhages and oedema, which leads to the death of the species.
Camel racing
A control technique that has been tried for the management of the feral camel population is the export of the camels to other countries like Middle Eastest for a food delicacy and for camel racing. This technique works but it doesn’t work efficiently because their population is still increasing. The effect that camels have on the landscape and indigenous flora and fauna is high because there diet consists of the native grasses and plants that are a part of the native australian animals habitat the damage they cause to the habitat may mean the the animals that were originaly living in the area may become easy prey for other animals because they have no plant and grass cover to cover them.
Activity 6
Grampians National Park Introduction Introduction to Grampians National Park 1)Provide a summary of the Park (What does it contain?) Facilities provided within Grampians National Park Facilities for visitors include: • Visitor Information Centre. • Camp grounds. • Picnic grounds. • BBQs and picnic tables. • Information shelters. • Walking tracks and roads. • Lookouts. • Pit toilets. a.What activities can be complete within the park? Picnicking, Bush walking, camping within the park, swimming, Cycling, horse riding, rock climbing and abseiling Landscape Characteristics 2)Explain the unique characteristics of the Grampians a.Where is the park located? The Grampians are located in central Victoria around 260km from Melbourne by road. The Park stretches 85 kilometres north-south and 45 kilometres east-west at its widest point
Climate of the Grampians Area 3)Provide a basic summary of the parks climate In the park the climate is usually summer and autumn are warm and dry while winter and spring are cool and wet.
Source: Atlas of Victoria
a.What will be the expected temperature (min and max) and rainfall for the month that we are away?
The maximum temperature will be about 23 degrees and the minimum temperature will be about 8 degrees Vegetation of the Grampians 4)Provide a Basic Summary of the vegetation of the Grampians The vegetation that you are likely to see: Endemic plants in Grampians National Park Grampians Thryptomene Grampians Bauera Grampians Boronia Grampians Bossiaea Grampians Fringe-myrtle Grampians Grevillea Grampians Gum Grampians Parrot-pea Grampians Trigger-plant Rosy Bush-pea Ribbed Bush-pea Wedge-leaf Bush-pea Williamson's Bush-pea Cassell Grevillea Mount William Grevillea Narrow-leaf Trymalium Hairy Raspwort Borya species a.What are the main Plant communities within the park? Sub-alpine communities Stringybark forest Red Gum forest Riparian forest Rocky woodland Heathy woodland Heathland Animals of the Grampians 5)Explain the diversity of the animal species at the Grampians A great variety of wildlife occurs in the Grampians, representing a high percentage of the native animal species found in Victoria: • 43% of Victoria's bird species, • 34% of Victoria's mammal species, • 34% of the State's amphibian species, • 28% of Victoria's reptile species and • 20% of Victoria's freshwater fish species. a.What Mammals, Fish, Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians can we expect to see? Mammals: (35 mammal species) Koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, bandicoots, possums, gliders, Heath Mouse, Pygmy-possum, Birds: (200 species) Peregrine Falcons, lorikeets, honeyeaters, parrots, cockatoos, babblers, choughs, wrens, robins, fantails, whistlers, blackbirds, pigeons, skylarks, sparrows, goldfinches and starlings. Reptiles: (28 species) Water Skink, Long-necked Tortoise, Copperhead, Eastern Tiger Snake, Red-bellied Black Snake and Eastern Brown Snake. Fish: (12 species)Rainbow and Brown Trout Visitors to the Grampians National Park 6)Who uses the Grampians? Most visitors that use the Grampians are from western Victoria, Melbourne and eastern South Australia. a.What do visitors do?
Camping
Bush walking Picnicking
Trail bikes
Pleasure driving
Rock climbing
Abseiling Painting and Photography Nature study Fishing Boating Swimming Four-wheel driving Horse riding Cycling Wildlife viewing b.How many visitors were there between 2000 and 2001? Around 1505428 people visited the park.
Timber Harvesting
Logging in Australia started when the early Europeans settled Australia. They cleared land to make areas for farming land and cut down trees to use the wood for the development of colonies. Logging still occurs today because there is an increase demand as the population grows. The timber is used for the development of houses and other buildings and other items. Logging has become more environmentally sustainable because now they have plantations were they harvest the wood and then they replant the trees to harvest in later years.
Around 12,000 hectares are logged in Victoria each year.
Clear-felling logging is the most common method used in logging which involves clearing all the vegetation in the area used for logging and using the lower lying trees for wood chips.
Some negative impact that logging has on the environment is
- Loss of animal habitat
-Burning logged areas with napalm
- Salinity issues
- Soil compactions from machines
- Introduction of new weeds to the area due to the machines being used in different areas
- Soil disturbance erosion of the soil pollution of streams
Some positive impacts that logging has on the environment is that it
- Mimics the impact of a natural fire
- After an area of clear-felling occurs the area will slowly grow back to form a new forest.
- Clear felling is more economic than selective logging
When Timber harvesting first started in Australia the trees were harvested using back breaking human labour without the use of any macinery that is used today like buldozers and chainsaws.
Activity 5
Introduction of exotic plants and animals
Camels
Camels were introduced into australia to be used like a work horse they carried heavy loads across long distances and they were well adapted to the harsh environment of Australia.
Camels were used in the famous exploration of the north to south of Australia, which was unexplored territory along with the famous adventurers Burk and Wills.
It is estimated that camels explored around 7,000,000 square kilometres of what was an unexplored country.
Camels have survived well to Australian because they have found it so easy to adapt well to the climate and landscape.
Today Australia has the highest population of wild camels in the world.
In Australia the Camel population don’t carry diseases that other camels in other countries carry. One disease that has been associated with Camels in Australia is Bluetongue. Bluetongue is when the inflammation of the mucous membranes occurs this causes haemorrhages and oedema, which leads to the death of the species.
A control technique that has been tried for the management of the feral camel population is the export of the camels to other countries like Middle Eastest for a food delicacy and for camel racing. This technique works but it doesn’t work efficiently because their population is still increasing.
The effect that camels have on the landscape and indigenous flora and fauna is high because there diet consists of the native grasses and plants that are a part of the native australian animals habitat the damage they cause to the habitat may mean the the animals that were originaly living in the area may become easy prey for other animals because they have no plant and grass cover to cover them.
Activity 6
Grampians National Park Introduction
Introduction to Grampians National Park
1) Provide a summary of the Park (What does it contain?)
Facilities provided within Grampians National Park
Facilities for visitors include:
• Visitor Information Centre.
• Camp grounds.
• Picnic grounds.
• BBQs and picnic tables.
• Information shelters.
• Walking tracks and roads.
• Lookouts.
• Pit toilets.
a. What activities can be complete within the park?
Picnicking, Bush walking, camping within the park, swimming, Cycling, horse riding, rock climbing and abseiling
Landscape Characteristics
2) Explain the unique characteristics of the Grampians
a. Where is the park located?
The Grampians are located in central Victoria around 260km from Melbourne by road.
The Park stretches 85 kilometres north-south and 45 kilometres east-west at its widest point
Climate of the Grampians Area
3) Provide a basic summary of the parks climate
In the park the climate is usually summer and autumn are warm and dry while winter and spring are cool and wet.
Source: Atlas of Victoria
a. What will be the expected temperature (min and max) and rainfall for the month that we are away?
The maximum temperature will be about 23 degrees and the minimum temperature will be about 8 degrees
Vegetation of the Grampians
4) Provide a Basic Summary of the vegetation of the Grampians
The vegetation that you are likely to see:
Endemic plants in Grampians National Park
Grampians Thryptomene
Grampians Bauera
Grampians Boronia
Grampians Bossiaea
Grampians Fringe-myrtle
Grampians Grevillea
Grampians Gum
Grampians Parrot-pea
Grampians Trigger-plant
Rosy Bush-pea
Ribbed Bush-pea
Wedge-leaf Bush-pea
Williamson's Bush-pea
Cassell Grevillea
Mount William Grevillea
Narrow-leaf Trymalium
Hairy Raspwort
Borya species
a. What are the main Plant communities within the park?
Sub-alpine communities
Stringybark forest
Red Gum forest
Riparian forest
Rocky woodland
Heathy woodland
Heathland
Animals of the Grampians
5) Explain the diversity of the animal species at the Grampians
A great variety of wildlife occurs in the Grampians, representing a high percentage of the native animal species found in Victoria:
• 43% of Victoria's bird species,
• 34% of Victoria's mammal species,
• 34% of the State's amphibian species,
• 28% of Victoria's reptile species and
• 20% of Victoria's freshwater fish species.
a. What Mammals, Fish, Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians can we expect to see?
Mammals: (35 mammal species) Koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, bandicoots, possums, gliders, Heath Mouse, Pygmy-possum,
Birds: (200 species) Peregrine Falcons, lorikeets, honeyeaters, parrots, cockatoos, babblers, choughs, wrens, robins, fantails, whistlers, blackbirds, pigeons, skylarks, sparrows, goldfinches and starlings.
Reptiles: (28 species) Water Skink, Long-necked Tortoise, Copperhead, Eastern Tiger Snake, Red-bellied Black Snake and Eastern Brown Snake.
Fish: (12 species) Rainbow and Brown Trout
Visitors to the Grampians National Park
6) Who uses the Grampians?
Most visitors that use the Grampians are from western Victoria, Melbourne and eastern South Australia.
a. What do visitors do?
Camping
Bush walkingPicnicking
Trail bikes
Pleasure driving
Rock climbing
AbseilingPainting and
Photography
Nature study
Fishing
Boating
Swimming
Four-wheel driving
Horse riding
Cycling
Wildlife viewing
b. How many visitors were there between 2000 and 2001?
Around 1505428 people visited the park.